TL;DR
- The Claw is a unique fishing rod that auto-reels fish — the most convenient fishing tool in the game
- There are two ways to get it: steal it from a fisherman at Bounty’s Net, or earn it by reaching 100 Trust with secret merchant Patrigio
- Method 1 (faster): Head to Bounty’s Net southwest of Hernand near Vellua, equip a Mask, scare the fisherman to drop the rod, steal it before the timer expires
- Method 2 (no risk): Find Patrigio between midnight and 4:00 AM, gift him 20 Copper Pouches (5 Trust each), reach 100 Trust and he hands it over for free
- If the rod drops into the water, physically push the fisherman toward the center of the pier before trying again
- You can only get one Claw — it is a unique item and cannot be crafted or purchased
Fishing in Crimson Desert is already a workable system, but the final reel-in step is where most players lose fish. You have to spin the stick at exactly the right speed — too fast and the line snaps, too slow and the fish gets away. The Claw solves this entirely by automating the reel-in phase. Once a fish is hooked and tired out, The Claw handles the rest with a single button press instead of careful stick work.
There are two methods to get it. One is faster but involves theft. The other is clean but requires tracking down a wandering night merchant. This guide covers both in full.
What Does The Claw Do?
The Claw is a unique fishing rod with a built-in auto-reel ability. It does not automate the entire fishing process — you still need to cast the line, wait for a bite, hook the fish, and tire it out through the normal minigame. What it handles is the final stage: once the fish is worn down, instead of spinning the right stick carefully to reel it in, you simply press a button repeatedly (X on PlayStation, A on Xbox, left click on PC). The Claw guarantees maximum reel distance on each press, making the whole process significantly faster and far less likely to fail.
For players who fish regularly for food, camp provisions, or the legendary fish challenges, The Claw is one of the best quality-of-life upgrades in the game.
Method 1: Steal It from the Fisherman at Bounty’s Net (Fastest)
This method works before Chapter 3 and does not require building any NPC relationship. All you need is a Mask.
Step 1: Get a Mask
You must have a Mask equipped before attempting this — without one, the steal prompt will not appear. Three ways to get one:
- Buy one from Grimrak at the Back Alley Shop, southeast of the church in Hernand
- Loot one randomly from Bleed Bandits around Hernand
- Receive one as a reward for completing the Jeffrey Bounty Quest in Chapter 2
For the full guide on Masks and stealing, see our how to pickpocket in Crimson Desert guide.
Step 2: Travel to Bounty’s Net
Bounty’s Net is a small, hidden fishing pier located just east of the fishing town of Vellua, on the southwest side of Hernand — southwest of the Spire of Insight, west of the Steel Mountains.
From Hernand Town, ride south toward the coast. Follow the coastline west along the rocky cliffs. You will eventually find a small inlet with a waterfall and a short pier where two or three people are fishing. This is Bounty’s Net. It is easy to miss since it tucks into a cliff inlet and has no map marker pointing to it.
Step 3: Identify the Fisherman with The Claw
Once at the pier, look at the fishermen casting their lines. One of them — on the pier closer to the village — is holding a fishing rod that looks visibly different from the standard one. That is The Claw.
Step 4: Scare Him Into Dropping It
Equip your Mask first so it is active. Then cast your own fishing line close to where the fisherman is standing. This startles him and causes him to drop The Claw. You can also walk right up next to him, pull out a weapon and swing near him, or glide in and land beside him — any action that startles him works.
When he drops the rod, you have a short window of a few seconds before he picks it back up.
Step 5: Steal The Claw
While the rod is on the ground, hold LB / L1 on controller or CTRL on keyboard, then select The Claw from the steal prompt. Pick it up immediately.
Step 6: Escape the Red Zone
A red detection circle will appear on your minimap the moment you steal. Sprint or swim out of that area before the timer expires. If you clear the zone in time, you receive only a minor -5 reputation penalty with no bounty and no guards. Swimming away from the pier is usually the fastest escape route.
You do not get a bounty if you escape the red zone cleanly. For tips on clearing bounties if something goes wrong, see our how to remove bounty in Crimson Desert guide.
The Rod Fell in the Water — How to Fix This
This is the most common problem with this method. The fisherman stands right at the edge of the pier, and the physics sometimes send The Claw off the side into the water when he drops it, making it impossible to retrieve.
The fix: walk into the fisherman and physically push him toward the center of the pier before scaring him. A few gentle nudges away from the edge means when he drops the rod, it lands on the boards rather than in the water. This takes some patience but solves the problem consistently.
If the rod lands in the water and the fisherman cannot reach it, back off and wait — the NPC will sometimes wade in and retrieve it after a short delay. If not, restart the attempt.
Optional upgrade: If you have the Great Thief’s Gloves (earned from the Secret of the Lost Seal faction quest for House Serkis), equip them before attempting the theft. They completely remove the detection risk on a 30-minute cooldown, making the steal entirely consequence-free.
Method 2: Max Out Patrigio’s Trust (No Risk)
This method requires no theft, no Mask, and no combat. It is slower but completely clean.
Who Is Patrigio?
Patrigio is a secret wandering merchant who only appears at night. He is not listed on any map and has no fixed shop location. He wanders the road between Spring Tide Mill and Howling Hill camp, and also appears near the Goldleaf Trading Post and at the Howling Hill camp entrance.
He only spawns after you reach Chapter 3 and unlock the Howling Hill camp. Before that point, he does not exist in the world regardless of the time.
His active hours are midnight (12:00 AM) to approximately 4:00 AM in-game time. Outside those hours he is gone.
How to Find Patrigio
Use an inn or bonfire to sleep until around 11:50 PM, then travel the road between Spring Tide Mill and Howling Hill. Check the camp entrance and the road leading back to Hernand.
If he does not appear, make a hard save just before midnight at one of his known locations, then reload and try again. His spawn is not guaranteed every night, but the save-reload method narrows the wait.
He only appears on paved roads marked on the map — never in wilderness or off-road areas.
How to Reach 100 Trust
Patrigio does not sell The Claw in his shop. You must reach Trust Level 100 with him first, at which point he hands it to you as a gift during dialogue.
The fastest way to build trust: gift him Decent Copper Pouches. Each pouch gives +5 Trust, so 20 pouches bring him from 0 to 100 in a single visit.
Copper Pouches drop commonly from bandit camps and enemy patrols throughout Hernand — stockpile them during normal combat and you will likely have 20 before you even need them. The size of the pouch does not affect the Trust gain, so use the cheapest small ones.
You can also gain Trust by purchasing items from his shop during each visit. If you see him multiple nights, buying something each time adds up. But gifting 20 pouches in one go is the most efficient single-visit method.
Note: there is a daily limit on how many gifts you can give. If Patrigio stops accepting gifts, wait one in-game day and find him again.
Collect The Claw
Once Trust hits 100, speak with Patrigio. He will hand over The Claw automatically during dialogue — it does not appear in his shop menu. Collect it and it goes straight to your inventory.
Using The Claw
Equip The Claw from your inventory into your ranged/tool slot — the same slot as your bow. Access it through the quick-slot radial menu (hold D-Pad Left on controller / F2 on keyboard).
The fishing process with The Claw:
- Stand at the edge of deep water — lakes, rivers, or the sea. Avoid shallow spots, rocks, and obstacles
- Hold L2 / LT on controller or Q on keyboard to enter casting mode
- A blue bait icon confirms the spot is valid — red means it will not work
- Cast the line and wait for the fish to bite
- Hook the fish with R2 / RT
- Tire the fish out by pulling in the opposite direction it swims — release when it stops to avoid snapping the line
- Once the fish is worn down, press X on PlayStation / A on Xbox / left click on PC repeatedly to auto-reel — The Claw handles the rest
The Claw has durability like all rods. Repair it at any blacksmith using basic Iron Ore when it gets low.
All Fishing Rods in Crimson Desert
| Rod | How to Get | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Fishing Rod | Free near Hernand (beside boxes south of city) or buy from provisioner for ~10 copper | Standard rod — handles all regular fish |
| Fine Fishing Rod | Blueprint from Grimrak at Back Alley Shop (10 Silver), craft at blacksmith | Faster fish bite time |
| Pororin Fishing Rod | Unlock through research system in Pororin, complete via camp dispatch missions | Required for legendary fish |
| The Claw | Steal from Bounty’s Net or earn from Patrigio at 100 Trust | Auto-reel on reel-in phase |
For the full fishing system explained, see our how to fish in Crimson Desert guide.
Related Guides
- How to fish in Crimson Desert
- How to pickpocket in Crimson Desert — covers the Mask and steal system used in Method 1
- How to steal items in Crimson Desert
- How to remove bounty in Crimson Desert
- How to make money fast in Crimson Desert — fish sell for good silver
- Crimson Desert all Stable Locations — for reaching Bounty’s Net efficiently
- How to fast travel in Crimson Desert
- How to change time of day in Crimson Desert — needed for finding Patrigio at midnight
- How to cook best healing food in Crimson Desert
- Crimson Desert all legendary horses locations
- Crimson Desert Icemoor Castle Ruins treasure chests — another hidden loot guide worth pairing with this trip south of Hernand
- Crimson Desert how long to beat
Where to Play Crimson Desert
The Claw is one of the most useful convenience items in Crimson Desert and both methods to get it are straightforward once you know them. If you want it immediately, grab a Mask, ride south to Bounty’s Net, push the fisherman away from the edge, and scare him into dropping it. If you prefer the clean route, stockpile 20 Copper Pouches and find Patrigio after midnight. Either way, once it is in your inventory, losing a fish to bad reeling becomes a thing of the past. For everything else in the game, head to our Crimson Desert guides hub.
